Friday Focus: Mazda CX5 crossover

This Friday we’re focusing on the car that kick-started the Skyactiv revolution: the Mazda CX5 crossover – and it’s an appropriate choice, too, as the Japanese off-roader picked up yet another award this week, crowned Auto Express’ Best Crossover for the second year running.

The CX5 was and still is a massive car for Mazda and a vehicle, which turned the 4×4 crossover sector on its head. The CX5 introduced the firm’s latest Kodo – soul of motion design language, as well as the Skyactiv approach to vehicle construction, including the efficient and powerful Skyactiv-D and Skyactiv-G turbodiesel and petrol engines, as well as a super-safe passenger shell.

We’ll start with the engines. Fuel economy and CO2 emissions are major factors in any new car purchase these days, and the Mazda CX5 excels on both counts – it really is a class leader.

The 150hp 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine will return a staggering 61.4mpg combined with just 119g/km CO2 emissions, meaning it costs just £30 per year to tax this spacious and practical family 4×4.

Don’t think efficiency comes at the expense of performance, however. The 175hp 2.2-litre turbodiesel powers the Mazda from 0-62mph in 8.8 seconds – and with four-wheel drive on offer, too, there’s plenty of grip to explore the agile chassis, but plenty of safety and sure-footedness should conditions become a little less than perfect.

In fact, in a recent independent survey conducted by website CarSafetyRules.com, 96.5% of the 1,000 people asked said the car meets and exceeds safety demands of car buyers today, offering a comprehensive set of new accident prevention technologies to make driving safer.

These so-called ‘eSafety’ systems – of which functions such as Mazda’s Smart City Brake Assist falls in to – improve your chances considerably and massively reduce the risk of having an accident.

And as a by product of improving passenger and pedestrian safety as part of Mazda’s package of Skyactiv technologies, it also means your car’s insurance rating is lowered due to the extra protection, making your premiums cheaper. Now who can argue with that?

We can’t promise you a demonstration of the Mazda CX5’s superb safety systems – and hopefully you’ll never need to rely upon them. But should the worst happen, be safe in the knowledge that they’ll fully protect you – this is a five-star Euro NCAP rated car, after all.

What we can promise you, however, is a demonstration of the CX5’s other fantastic qualities. It’s efficiency, performance, practicality and style are hard to ignore, so why not sample them for yourself at T W White & Sons this weekend?

We’ve got two dedicated Mazda showrooms in Bookham, Surrey, or Orpington, Kent. Drop in if you have time, or to plan a lengthier test drive, why not call ahead on 0844 539 6753.

For more information on the amazing Mazda CX5, or if you have a question you’d like answering, contact us on Twitter @twwwhiteandsons, or leave a comment on our Facebook page.